Sunshine Coast Council’s Wild HeART Student Art Prize is back for 2025, inviting school-aged creatives to connect with nature and share their eco-passion through art.
This year’s competition encourages students to explore local environments, observe native Australian plants, animals or fungi and create realistic artworks that tell an ecological story.
Whether it’s a delicate wildflower, a timid shorebird, a cryptic skink or peculiar fungi – nature’s inspiration is endless.
Finalists will have their work showcased in a stunning outdoor exhibition trail at the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden, running throughout the summer holidays.
Children and young people across three age categories will have the chance to win awesome prizes, with entries closing midnight, Sunday 5 October.
Environmental Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez said the prize is a celebration of creativity and connection to nature in our wildlife friendly biosphere.
“Wild HeART is your chance to tell the story of a place you care about through art,” she said.
“We want to see what inspires you – and what you discover when you look a little closer.”
Top tips for young artists
Choose a native Australian species, not introduced or invasive species.
Be original – both with your subject choice and creative expression.
Read the Conditions of Entry carefully.
Submit your entry via the online submission form.
Age categories are 8, 13 or 18 years and under.
All entry details, eligibility criteria, and submission link are available under “see and do” at botanic-garden.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or by searching “Wild HeART Student Art Prize”.
For inspiration, you can check out last year’s finalists online too.
